Museveni, Egypt’s El-Sisi agree to deepen cooperation in trade, energy and Nile management

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today held bilateral talks with Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at State House Entebbe, with the two leaders agreeing to strengthen cooperation in trade, industrialisation, renewable energy, fish farming and sustainable management of the River Nile.

President El-Sisi, who is on an official visit to Uganda, was accompanied by Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdelatty, and the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Hani Sewilam.

The discussions focused on strengthening the longstanding relations between Uganda and Egypt, regional peace and security, economic transformation and water resource management. President Museveni welcomed his Egyptian counterpart and called for practical cooperation aimed at addressing poverty and accelerating socio-economic transformation.

Museveni highlighted environmental degradation and the encroachment on wetlands within the Nile Basin, attributing the challenge to population pressure and limited economic opportunities. He proposed large-scale fish farming projects as a sustainable solution that would create jobs, protect wetlands and boost export earnings.

“The biggest help I want from you is fish farming. Fish is in high demand globally and this project can help our people move out of subsistence agriculture while also protecting the wetlands,” Museveni said.

The Ugandan leader noted that overdependence on low-productivity agriculture remains one of the key characteristics of underdevelopment in Africa, adding that Uganda’s strategy is to transition more citizens into manufacturing and service industries to reduce pressure on land and increase household incomes. He also emphasized the importance of electricity and renewable energy in driving industrialisation and economic growth.

On regional affairs, Museveni expressed concern over instability in Libya, the conflict in Palestine and tensions involving Iran, saying Africa should continue advocating for dialogue and peaceful solutions. He also reflected on the historical role played by African liberation movements under leaders such as Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere in supporting independence struggles across the continent.

“We cannot remain silent when people continue to suffer through endless wars and instability,” Museveni said.

President El-Sisi congratulated Museveni on his recent election victory and praised his leadership style, describing it as balanced and visionary.

“The world today is often driven by interests rather than justice and values, but Your Excellency continues to demonstrate wisdom and balance in leadership,” El-Sisi said.

The Egyptian leader reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s development agenda, particularly in fish farming, renewable energy, industrialisation and value addition. He said Egypt would work with Uganda to establish modern fish farming projects and mobilise Egyptian investors to invest in Uganda’s aquaculture sector.

El-Sisi also pledged support in renewable energy development and urged African countries to focus on value addition instead of exporting raw materials. He identified sectors such as iron ore, copper, leather, meat processing and fruit processing as areas with strong potential for industrial growth and export earnings.

“The global market is thirsty for these products. Africa must process its raw materials and agricultural products to create jobs and generate more income,” El-Sisi noted.

The Egyptian President further announced plans to establish a Joint Business Council to facilitate trade and investment between Uganda and Egypt and invited Museveni to attend the African Business Forum scheduled for June 2026 in Egypt.

The two leaders also discussed peace and security in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Horn of Africa, reaffirming support for dialogue, African-led peace processes and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Nile Basin cooperation, El-Sisi said Egypt continues to face severe water scarcity, with per capita water availability having dropped below 500 cubic metres annually. He stressed Egypt’s commitment to dialogue and equitable utilisation of shared water resources among Nile Basin countries.

In a joint communiqué issued after the meeting, the two leaders directed their respective institutions to operationalise the outcomes of Museveni’s August 2025 visit to Egypt and strengthen cooperation in agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, water management and infrastructure development.

The communiqué also stated that Egypt reaffirmed its readiness to finance and mobilise funding for water-related infrastructure projects in Uganda through the Nile Development Fund. Both countries further agreed to strengthen cooperation under regional and continental frameworks including the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area and COMESA in line with Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.